For vinyl fans.
Vinyl-version was recorded directly from master-tape without any compression.
Thanks to whoever digitized this vinyl.
Showing posts with label alternative rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alternative rock. Show all posts
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Monday, October 20, 2014
Mineral – (1994-1998) - The Complete Collection (2014)
The release includes everything recorded by the band between 1994 and 1998. Naturally, it's called 1994 -1998: The Complete Collection. In addition to the two LPs, the release will include bonus songs and previously unreleased alternate recordings.
Singles were remastered much better than on The Complete Collection (2010). Apparently used a master tapes. The sound is very clear, you can hear the slightest nuances.
Tracklist:
Disc 1: The Power Of Failing
1. Five, Eight And Ten (5:26)
2. Gloria (3:44)
3. Slower (5:46)
4. Dolorosa (5:09)
5. 80-37 (4:33)
6. If I Could (5:59)
7. July (4:24)
8. Silver (6:56)
9. Take The Picture Now (3:15)
10. Parking Lot (3:51)
Bonus Tracks
11. Sadder Star (Bonus Track) (3:05)
12. Five, Eight And Ten (Alternative Version) (5:12)
13. Parking Lot (Alternate Take*) (4:58)
14. Gloria (Alternative Version*) (4:03)
15. If I Could (Alternative Version*) (6:12)
* - previously unreleased
Disc 2: EndSerenading
1. LoveLetterTypewriter (3:45)
2. Palisade (4:31)
3. Gjs (4:46)
4. Unfinished (6:07)
5. ForIvadell (3:36)
6. WakingToWinter (4:02)
7. ALetter (4:53)
8. SoundsLikeSunday (5:20)
9. &Serenading (5:24)
10. TheLastWordIsRejoice (5:09)
Bonus Tracks
11. Rubber Legs (Bonus Track) (5:56)
12. February (Bonus Track) (5:09)
13. M.D. (Bonus Track) (5:24)
14. Love My Way (Bonus Track) (3:56)
15. Crazy (Bonus Track) (3:06)
Mineral – (1994-1998) - The Complete Collection (2014) FLAC
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Inside – My Funeral (1999)
With its roots firmly planted in the NYHC scene, Inside was an Emo/Alt-Rock band for the ages. Lacking any of the whiney, "look at me, I`m so different" trappings of the multitude of bands that followed in their footsteps, Inside's only true LP, My Funeral, is a testament to what this genre could have become and a sad reminder that "looking the part" will only take you so far. Can you tell I'm jaded?
Most every track here comes off like a Post-Hardcore aria, complete with the requisite twin rhythm guitars and Mallamo's full-throttle vocal assault. Where Jeremy Enigk was content to subdue his vocals and lyrics to the point of making up words and then burying them in the mix, Mallamo's strikingly clear voice rings out above the instruments with an authority not found elsewhere in this genre. Even when the lyrics stray into clichéd Emo territory, "This ring is a reminder, of a one night embrace/ Hold these words like a flower/ When you can't touch my face", Mallamo's delivery is so pure and engaging that he somehow manages to sell you on it and you're left with no choice but to sing along.
While "With This Ring" may be easily dismissible, "Jill Came Tumbling After", "The Theory Of Weights And Measures" "Hazel" and "Best 3 Out Of 5" display a maturity in songwriting that belies this band's relative inexperience. With only a handful of EPs to their credit, later compiled with part of a live show to create the pseudo-LP "7 Inches To Wall Drug", Florencio and Corrigan played distorted and inter-twining guitars with an authority Robert Smith would certainly recognize.
Most every track here comes off like a Post-Hardcore aria, complete with the requisite twin rhythm guitars and Mallamo's full-throttle vocal assault. Where Jeremy Enigk was content to subdue his vocals and lyrics to the point of making up words and then burying them in the mix, Mallamo's strikingly clear voice rings out above the instruments with an authority not found elsewhere in this genre. Even when the lyrics stray into clichéd Emo territory, "This ring is a reminder, of a one night embrace/ Hold these words like a flower/ When you can't touch my face", Mallamo's delivery is so pure and engaging that he somehow manages to sell you on it and you're left with no choice but to sing along.
While "With This Ring" may be easily dismissible, "Jill Came Tumbling After", "The Theory Of Weights And Measures" "Hazel" and "Best 3 Out Of 5" display a maturity in songwriting that belies this band's relative inexperience. With only a handful of EPs to their credit, later compiled with part of a live show to create the pseudo-LP "7 Inches To Wall Drug", Florencio and Corrigan played distorted and inter-twining guitars with an authority Robert Smith would certainly recognize.
Khyron
Amazon Customer Reviews
My Funeral; Inside's first full-length, also proved to be their final release and their swan song if you will. Driving guitars, soaring vocals and touching, personal lyrics form the bedrock of Inside's musical style. Musically this bears comparison to Elliott, Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate. Members of Inside went on to form Blood Red and Dearly Departed, Inside, along with Silent Majority were arguably Long Islands biggest and best bands of the 90's. However, Inside, while just as good as Elliott, Mineral and their other contemporaries, just didnt seem to get the push that would have garnered them wide national appeal. Inside was voted "Band Of The Year" in Heartattack's 1999 readers poll. They toured the US four times, and hit Europe once, before disbanding. They played a reunion show in April 2004 to bid farewell to guitarist Vinny Corrigan before he moved to Ireland. 600 people converged on the small church it was held in to witness the best LI show of 2004.
interpunk.com
interpunk.com
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Texas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection (2013)
This new expanded version of Texas Is The Reason's groundbreaking album
includes the last two songs the band wrote before splitting up, but had
never released.
These two songs, which fit right into the band's canon,
were finally put to tape this year with "Do You Know Who You Are?"
producer J. Robbins - making this, for the first time, a complete career
retrospective.
revelationrecords.com
Tracklist:
1. Johnny On The Spot (4:15)
2. The Magic Bullet Theory (2:48)
3. Nickel Wound (4:36)
4. There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out Of This One Tonight (The Drinking Song) (3:57)
5. Something To Forget (Version II) (5:50)
6. Do You Know Who You Are? (2:43)
7. Back And To The Left (3:55)
8. The Day's Refrain (4:59)
9. A Jack With One Eye (4:42)
10. Every Little Girls Dream (previously unreleased) (6:06)
11. When Rock 'N' Roll Was Just A Baby (previously unreleased) (3:21)
12. Blue Boy (4:10)
13. Something To Forget (Version I) (6:16)
14. If It's Here When We Get Back It's Ours (2:25)
15. Dressing Cold (2:49)
16. Antique (5:04)
Texas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection (2013)
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
Saves The Day – Ups & Downs: Early Recordings And B-Sides (2004)
Saves the Day fans will happily devour Ups & Downs, as it presents a wealth of archival and rare stuff from one of the genre's more veteran groups. "Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off to Heaven" wins the best title blue ribbon; it's taken from the same 2000 session as "A Drag in D Flat." "Hold" and "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" were previously available on Saves the Day's 1999 acoustic EP, but Chris Conley's liner-note insights into their recordings are revealing. Fan favorite "Jessie & My Whetstone" appears twice, once acoustically and again in live, electrified form. It's a real teenage tearjerker, and one of Conley's songwriting highlights. Sure, punk-pop-inflected emoticons are a dime a dozen. But in something like the bittersweet pal tribute "Way His Collar Falls," he knows just how to combine lyric with melody to make the song something more than simply youthfully exuberant. His own age shows on the early Saves demo material that makes up the majority of Ups & Downs' second half -- the songs have a ragged, holy-crap-we're-a-band urgency. They also sound a lot like Green Day most of the time. A couple covers round out the set here, including "Clash City Rockers" and the Descendents. Check the rough mixing on the Clash tune -- it's, like, 7" quality at best, dude. Considering Saves the Day operates in a world where 7"s are largely extinct, the inclusion just makes Ups & Downs more visceral for fans. Now, what are you waiting for? Go out and start your own band.
Johnny Loftus, Rovi
allmusic.com
Ah, good old Saves The Day. Although they've dropped off my radar since the highly disappointing In Reverie, I still put a copy of Through Being Cool in my player from time to time to reminisce about the good old days.
The band that is most known for being 'heavily influenced' by Lifetime has gone through many changes, and I was expecting this disc to chronologically play them, perhaps starting with a raw, quicker Saves The Day and ending up with the lighter, way-too-high-pitched band that is around today. And boy was I wrong about that.
The album introduces with the title track, as it were, "Ups and Downs." An easily found b-side from the Stay What You Are-era, the introduction guitar effect is quite addictive and I see no reason as to why this song wasn't on SWYA.
The next two tracks on the album are obvious standouts, even though they are simply tracks from Vagrant's Another Year On The Streets series. The pop punk singalongs "Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off To Heaven" and "A Drag In D Flat" make you remember the days that it seemed Saves The Day could do no wrong. Quick and searing guitars, properly pitched and emotional vocals, and lyrics like "I'd love to be scattered to hell with you. To hell with you. To hell with you." are solid examples of Through Being Cool-era STD.
What happens next is surprising. I never really looked at the advance press sheets for this album, so when I heard the introduction of I'm Sorry I'm Leaving echoing through my speakers, I was a bit confused. Fast forwarding at first, I couldn't believe my ears; Vagrant had put the entire acoustic EP on this disc. Huh? An album that fans of the band will already have, or at least have heard, needs not to be on this. Subtracting the five songs of the EP and you still have a pretty strong 14 song album. Not to mention the sudden acoustic tracks interfere greatly with the listening ability of the album; going from power pop punk anthems that leave you begging for more and ending up with this is somewhat disappointing. Don't get me wrong; I do enjoy the EP, but it was a blaring mistake to even include it on this album, much less put it as songs 4-8.
Checking out the tracks of the rest of the disc, all the titles were new to me, so I just pushed play and hoped for the best. I was not disappointed. "The Art of Misplacing Firearms" starts off with a catchy guitar hook, and then jumps into quick beats and the great old sound I had been hoping for. Although lacking the staple ending of fist pumping that older Saves The Day was known for, it's a strong track.
From this point on, the album stays in the same formula. Really strong, older songs that were obviously done by a young band still needing some time to grow. "1:19" and "Dave Feels Right" have some great endings, which seperate them from the rest of the rather formulaic recording. This isn't to say the Saves The Day formula is a bad one; I grew up with it and so I have an appreciation for it. However, it's obvious that these tracks were left on the demo tapes for a reason; they just aren't strong enough to make it onto a 'great' album like Can't Slow Down or Through Being Cool.
"I Think I'll Quit" is an outstanding track that is followed by a rather odd, awkward rock song "Cheer" that I found pretty skippable. "Clash City Rockers" sounds like, well, Saves The Day covering the Clash. Good cover, but I don't think I would have put it at this point in the album. Again, another sign of bad mixing.
A live, full-band recording of "Jesse And My Whetstone" closes out the album. I haven't ever seen Saves The Day perform this song live, so it was interesting to hear. My biggest complaint is that it's not a song to close an album with; the tempo doesn't change, the vocals are too high and the song becomes weak after a few listens.
Overall this disc is a good listen for a fan of Saves The Day, especially if you're like me and miss the glory days from the band's stint on Equal Vision. The biggest downfall is the mix; putting the three best (and easiest to find) songs before an already-released and not-so-rare acoustic EP is a dumb decision. The tracks stuffed in the middle of the album are worth a listen, but it's nothing you need to go out and buy immediately. It seems like Vagrant is simply cashing in on a band that has proven to be nothing but disappointing to signing to said label.
The band that is most known for being 'heavily influenced' by Lifetime has gone through many changes, and I was expecting this disc to chronologically play them, perhaps starting with a raw, quicker Saves The Day and ending up with the lighter, way-too-high-pitched band that is around today. And boy was I wrong about that.
The album introduces with the title track, as it were, "Ups and Downs." An easily found b-side from the Stay What You Are-era, the introduction guitar effect is quite addictive and I see no reason as to why this song wasn't on SWYA.
The next two tracks on the album are obvious standouts, even though they are simply tracks from Vagrant's Another Year On The Streets series. The pop punk singalongs "Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off To Heaven" and "A Drag In D Flat" make you remember the days that it seemed Saves The Day could do no wrong. Quick and searing guitars, properly pitched and emotional vocals, and lyrics like "I'd love to be scattered to hell with you. To hell with you. To hell with you." are solid examples of Through Being Cool-era STD.
What happens next is surprising. I never really looked at the advance press sheets for this album, so when I heard the introduction of I'm Sorry I'm Leaving echoing through my speakers, I was a bit confused. Fast forwarding at first, I couldn't believe my ears; Vagrant had put the entire acoustic EP on this disc. Huh? An album that fans of the band will already have, or at least have heard, needs not to be on this. Subtracting the five songs of the EP and you still have a pretty strong 14 song album. Not to mention the sudden acoustic tracks interfere greatly with the listening ability of the album; going from power pop punk anthems that leave you begging for more and ending up with this is somewhat disappointing. Don't get me wrong; I do enjoy the EP, but it was a blaring mistake to even include it on this album, much less put it as songs 4-8.
Checking out the tracks of the rest of the disc, all the titles were new to me, so I just pushed play and hoped for the best. I was not disappointed. "The Art of Misplacing Firearms" starts off with a catchy guitar hook, and then jumps into quick beats and the great old sound I had been hoping for. Although lacking the staple ending of fist pumping that older Saves The Day was known for, it's a strong track.
From this point on, the album stays in the same formula. Really strong, older songs that were obviously done by a young band still needing some time to grow. "1:19" and "Dave Feels Right" have some great endings, which seperate them from the rest of the rather formulaic recording. This isn't to say the Saves The Day formula is a bad one; I grew up with it and so I have an appreciation for it. However, it's obvious that these tracks were left on the demo tapes for a reason; they just aren't strong enough to make it onto a 'great' album like Can't Slow Down or Through Being Cool.
"I Think I'll Quit" is an outstanding track that is followed by a rather odd, awkward rock song "Cheer" that I found pretty skippable. "Clash City Rockers" sounds like, well, Saves The Day covering the Clash. Good cover, but I don't think I would have put it at this point in the album. Again, another sign of bad mixing.
A live, full-band recording of "Jesse And My Whetstone" closes out the album. I haven't ever seen Saves The Day perform this song live, so it was interesting to hear. My biggest complaint is that it's not a song to close an album with; the tempo doesn't change, the vocals are too high and the song becomes weak after a few listens.
Overall this disc is a good listen for a fan of Saves The Day, especially if you're like me and miss the glory days from the band's stint on Equal Vision. The biggest downfall is the mix; putting the three best (and easiest to find) songs before an already-released and not-so-rare acoustic EP is a dumb decision. The tracks stuffed in the middle of the album are worth a listen, but it's nothing you need to go out and buy immediately. It seems like Vagrant is simply cashing in on a band that has proven to be nothing but disappointing to signing to said label.
colin
punknews.org
This is Saves the Days latest album out. It's basically a compilation of songs that were early recordings, b-sides, or songs that basically were good but were not put on their earlier cd's. (Does that make sense?) Me being the Saves the Day fan that I am (and too impatient to wait for Chips88 to do a review, I'm not too sure if he finished it or not because the search bar and other links were not working, had to pick it up myself and do it. Sorry Chips).
Pamphlet: The pamphlet inside had many pictures in it. Most which can be viewed on the Saves the Day site if you keep refreshing it. It also contained notes about each song. When it was written, why it was written, etc, etc. Cool tid bits of information about the band.
There were 19 songs on this album. A few of these songs were on earlier albums such as "Hold", "Jessie and My Whetstone", "Take Our Cars Now!", etc.
Saves the Day, from Princeton, New Jersey have been playing for over 10 years. They originally started playing together from around the eigth grade.
1. Ups and Downs - One of their slower more "emotional" songs. It's one of my personal favorites. It was one of the unfinished songs that couldn't make the deadline to be on the "Stay What You Are" album. Chris states: that he wrote the song on a 4 string guitar on a balconey outside, while everyone was eating Cheatos. To me it's like the song that shows how far Saves the Day has come along as a band.
4/5
2. Sell My Old Clothes, I'm off to Heaven - One of their more upbeat songs after they began finishing developing their sound. Nice lyrical hooks, and pretty good guitar work. Chris states: that he remembers writing the lyrics at a hall show in Connecticut, or some New England State, on the H20 tour when he was trying to kill time.
4/5
3. A Drag in D Flat - It starts off with a bass riff. Typical Saves the Day song. Amazing lyrics, and Chris's ability to phrase lyrics in such a catchy way in paragraph form constitutes some level of lyrical genius on his part. Vocals are on the better side of this album. Guitar work is pretty tight. Chris states: He wrote this song on a train ride back from New York to New Jersey.
4/5
4. I'm Sorry I'm Leaving - One of their more mellow acoustics. Lyrics meet the Saves the Day standards that Chris sets up. He's a bit whiny in this song. Guitar work is swell. Again, Chris's ability to make vocal melodies so catchy is amazing. Chris states: This was our first acoustic release which they recorded on his makeshift studio in his mother's basement.
3/5
5. Hold - One of my personally favorite acoustic songs on this album. It's a supposed "corny" love song, but the way Chris portrays his feelings through his lyrics is superb, and makes it unique from other love ballads. Guitar work is decent. Chris states: The song was just thrown together and I used to jokingly sing it to my friends, trying to make them laugh at my hokey made up love song. Bryan (Our old drummer) wanted to put it on the acoustic 7 inch, so I said, "what the hey" and that's how it got from me to you.
4/5
6. Jessie and My Whetstone - This is also another one of my favorite acoustic songs from this album. The intro entertwines with the vocals perfectly, forming an amazingly catchy introduction. Some of Chris's best. Chris states: Lyrics of this song were inspired by Joni Mitchell's album "blue."
4/5
7. Take Our Cars Now! - Supposedly one of their rare acoustic releases. The intro is a bit boring. The guitar work is decent. Chris states: This is one of the only songs in our catalogue with lyrics that aren't entirely made up. The song popped out after a New England road trip with some of my friends."
3/5
8. The Way His Collar Falls - Another acoustic song! The guitar work here isn't much to write home about. Chris's vocal work is decent. An alright guitar interlude. That sums it up. Chris states: My good friend Leif was in school way up North, and he was having a rough go of it in his early months at college, so I wrote a song for him.
3/5
9. The Art of Misplacing Firearms - An eerie guitar intro. I swear, the first time I heard this track, I thought it was Thursday. Drumming isn't that great. It has that repetitive bass snare syncopation. Same with the guitar work. A slow song, for the most part, then gets a fast punk like feel. Chris states: this was the last song to feature aggressive hardcore sensibility. I used to receive nasty phone calls in the middle of the night from Brazil, saying "you are the worst singer ever and your band sucks and you're ugly!" No lie.
2/5
10. East Cost - Another one of their old songs. Same old "hardcore/punk" type feel to it. Drums does a snare bass type of syncopation and the guitar's belching powerchords. A really short song. Chris states: The first song from the ancient Saves the Day demo and it is the very first Saves the Day song in history.
2/5 (for trying guys)
11. 1:19 - Another one of their old ancient type, up down beat drum syncopated, power chord thrashing songs. Vocals just sound like strained and whiny. Chris states: I remember playing this song when we were called Sefler in a baseball batting cage in Sayersville, NJ.
2/5
12. An Afternoon Laughing - Another one of their "punk" type songs. Drumming is very rigid updown beats. Guitar is just playing powerchords. Not much of the guitar play going on that Saves the Day is well known for. Only thing about this song is that the lyrics are absolutely amazing. Check them out sometime. Chris states: Back then in the days of Sefler, the only consistent shows we played were to our two friends in our practice space.
3/5
13. Dave Feels Right - Yeah. You guessed it. Another "punk" aggression type song. Not much else here. Lyrics are pretty good as always. Chris states: He wrote the song about his friend Dave who ditched the band for his girlfriend.
3/5
14. When It isn't Like it Should Be - A pretty catchy intro. Then it goes into yet another "punk/hardcore/whateverit'scalled" type of palm muted power chord striving up down beating syncopated songs. Where Chris is just sorta whining/ straining his vocals. Chris states: It is my absolute favorite song from our early history and is still one of my favorite songs I have ever written. We used to close every show with this song, and it would leave me feeling entirely drained.
3/5
15. 1959 - A thirty second song. Like their typical old stuff. Need I say more? Chris states: Here's the thirty second song that never made it onto the demo.
2/5
16. I Think I'll Quit - Typical old type Saves the Day song. If you like their Can't Slow Down album, you'll probably love this stuff. But I'm not much of a fan of it. Chris actually makes some weird sounds on this song. Anyways, Chris states: A song that you can really tell I sound like a kid.
17. Cheer - Semi catchy guitar intro. It's alright. It's supposedly a cover of a Descendants song. Not much stuff here. Chris states: That is was part of the Punk Rock Jukebox series in which hardcore bands covered old punk songs. But it never made the cut.
2.5/5
18. Clash City Rockers - It definitely doesn't have much of a modern Saves the Day sound. It's like a mix between some Weezer/Rise Against/Green day type of song. (If it sounds nothing like what I mentioned, I'm a bit tired right now.) It's an alright song. Chris states: The cover of a classic Clash song.
3/5
19. Jessie & My Whetstone (Live 2003) - It's pretty good. You can hear the audience cheering for them to do Jessie and they go crazy when he states that's what they're going to do. When Chris comes in for the intro, he sounds a bit weird though. But seems to correct himself afterwards. One of the catchy songs on the album. Some of their more modern stuff. Chris states: A recording from our tour with Taking Back Sunday, in the fall of 2003.
4/5
Good Points - It has basically all the stuff that you probably won't ever find anywhere else. It also has the best acoustic tracks they made. (But hey, those acoustics are probably on "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" Anyways.)
Bad points - A lot of the songs on this album are either on other albums, such as "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" or sound like the songs on "Can't Slow Down" with that more "punk" influenced beat. They don't have many nice songs that sound like stuff off their "Through Being Cool Album.")
Overall: 3/5
Should you get this album? Only if you like collecting their material, and like they're "Can't Slow Down" album. Other then that, you might want to stay away and by the "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" album for the acoustics.
Pamphlet: The pamphlet inside had many pictures in it. Most which can be viewed on the Saves the Day site if you keep refreshing it. It also contained notes about each song. When it was written, why it was written, etc, etc. Cool tid bits of information about the band.
There were 19 songs on this album. A few of these songs were on earlier albums such as "Hold", "Jessie and My Whetstone", "Take Our Cars Now!", etc.
Saves the Day, from Princeton, New Jersey have been playing for over 10 years. They originally started playing together from around the eigth grade.
1. Ups and Downs - One of their slower more "emotional" songs. It's one of my personal favorites. It was one of the unfinished songs that couldn't make the deadline to be on the "Stay What You Are" album. Chris states: that he wrote the song on a 4 string guitar on a balconey outside, while everyone was eating Cheatos. To me it's like the song that shows how far Saves the Day has come along as a band.
4/5
2. Sell My Old Clothes, I'm off to Heaven - One of their more upbeat songs after they began finishing developing their sound. Nice lyrical hooks, and pretty good guitar work. Chris states: that he remembers writing the lyrics at a hall show in Connecticut, or some New England State, on the H20 tour when he was trying to kill time.
4/5
3. A Drag in D Flat - It starts off with a bass riff. Typical Saves the Day song. Amazing lyrics, and Chris's ability to phrase lyrics in such a catchy way in paragraph form constitutes some level of lyrical genius on his part. Vocals are on the better side of this album. Guitar work is pretty tight. Chris states: He wrote this song on a train ride back from New York to New Jersey.
4/5
4. I'm Sorry I'm Leaving - One of their more mellow acoustics. Lyrics meet the Saves the Day standards that Chris sets up. He's a bit whiny in this song. Guitar work is swell. Again, Chris's ability to make vocal melodies so catchy is amazing. Chris states: This was our first acoustic release which they recorded on his makeshift studio in his mother's basement.
3/5
5. Hold - One of my personally favorite acoustic songs on this album. It's a supposed "corny" love song, but the way Chris portrays his feelings through his lyrics is superb, and makes it unique from other love ballads. Guitar work is decent. Chris states: The song was just thrown together and I used to jokingly sing it to my friends, trying to make them laugh at my hokey made up love song. Bryan (Our old drummer) wanted to put it on the acoustic 7 inch, so I said, "what the hey" and that's how it got from me to you.
4/5
6. Jessie and My Whetstone - This is also another one of my favorite acoustic songs from this album. The intro entertwines with the vocals perfectly, forming an amazingly catchy introduction. Some of Chris's best. Chris states: Lyrics of this song were inspired by Joni Mitchell's album "blue."
4/5
7. Take Our Cars Now! - Supposedly one of their rare acoustic releases. The intro is a bit boring. The guitar work is decent. Chris states: This is one of the only songs in our catalogue with lyrics that aren't entirely made up. The song popped out after a New England road trip with some of my friends."
3/5
8. The Way His Collar Falls - Another acoustic song! The guitar work here isn't much to write home about. Chris's vocal work is decent. An alright guitar interlude. That sums it up. Chris states: My good friend Leif was in school way up North, and he was having a rough go of it in his early months at college, so I wrote a song for him.
3/5
9. The Art of Misplacing Firearms - An eerie guitar intro. I swear, the first time I heard this track, I thought it was Thursday. Drumming isn't that great. It has that repetitive bass snare syncopation. Same with the guitar work. A slow song, for the most part, then gets a fast punk like feel. Chris states: this was the last song to feature aggressive hardcore sensibility. I used to receive nasty phone calls in the middle of the night from Brazil, saying "you are the worst singer ever and your band sucks and you're ugly!" No lie.
2/5
10. East Cost - Another one of their old songs. Same old "hardcore/punk" type feel to it. Drums does a snare bass type of syncopation and the guitar's belching powerchords. A really short song. Chris states: The first song from the ancient Saves the Day demo and it is the very first Saves the Day song in history.
2/5 (for trying guys)
11. 1:19 - Another one of their old ancient type, up down beat drum syncopated, power chord thrashing songs. Vocals just sound like strained and whiny. Chris states: I remember playing this song when we were called Sefler in a baseball batting cage in Sayersville, NJ.
2/5
12. An Afternoon Laughing - Another one of their "punk" type songs. Drumming is very rigid updown beats. Guitar is just playing powerchords. Not much of the guitar play going on that Saves the Day is well known for. Only thing about this song is that the lyrics are absolutely amazing. Check them out sometime. Chris states: Back then in the days of Sefler, the only consistent shows we played were to our two friends in our practice space.
3/5
13. Dave Feels Right - Yeah. You guessed it. Another "punk" aggression type song. Not much else here. Lyrics are pretty good as always. Chris states: He wrote the song about his friend Dave who ditched the band for his girlfriend.
3/5
14. When It isn't Like it Should Be - A pretty catchy intro. Then it goes into yet another "punk/hardcore/whateverit'scalled" type of palm muted power chord striving up down beating syncopated songs. Where Chris is just sorta whining/ straining his vocals. Chris states: It is my absolute favorite song from our early history and is still one of my favorite songs I have ever written. We used to close every show with this song, and it would leave me feeling entirely drained.
3/5
15. 1959 - A thirty second song. Like their typical old stuff. Need I say more? Chris states: Here's the thirty second song that never made it onto the demo.
2/5
16. I Think I'll Quit - Typical old type Saves the Day song. If you like their Can't Slow Down album, you'll probably love this stuff. But I'm not much of a fan of it. Chris actually makes some weird sounds on this song. Anyways, Chris states: A song that you can really tell I sound like a kid.
17. Cheer - Semi catchy guitar intro. It's alright. It's supposedly a cover of a Descendants song. Not much stuff here. Chris states: That is was part of the Punk Rock Jukebox series in which hardcore bands covered old punk songs. But it never made the cut.
2.5/5
18. Clash City Rockers - It definitely doesn't have much of a modern Saves the Day sound. It's like a mix between some Weezer/Rise Against/Green day type of song. (If it sounds nothing like what I mentioned, I'm a bit tired right now.) It's an alright song. Chris states: The cover of a classic Clash song.
3/5
19. Jessie & My Whetstone (Live 2003) - It's pretty good. You can hear the audience cheering for them to do Jessie and they go crazy when he states that's what they're going to do. When Chris comes in for the intro, he sounds a bit weird though. But seems to correct himself afterwards. One of the catchy songs on the album. Some of their more modern stuff. Chris states: A recording from our tour with Taking Back Sunday, in the fall of 2003.
4/5
Good Points - It has basically all the stuff that you probably won't ever find anywhere else. It also has the best acoustic tracks they made. (But hey, those acoustics are probably on "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" Anyways.)
Bad points - A lot of the songs on this album are either on other albums, such as "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" or sound like the songs on "Can't Slow Down" with that more "punk" influenced beat. They don't have many nice songs that sound like stuff off their "Through Being Cool Album.")
Overall: 3/5
Should you get this album? Only if you like collecting their material, and like they're "Can't Slow Down" album. Other then that, you might want to stay away and by the "I'm Sorry I'm Leaving" album for the acoustics.
The_One
sputnikmusic.com
Saves The Day – Through Being Cool (1999)
A keystone of my musical tastes would most definitely have to include all of the discography from the mind of Christopher Conley. Saves the Day have always been the band I would fall back onto whether or not I had a bad day or just looking for something to jam out to while going for a drive on a spring evening. Despite my heavy bias towards the band, I want to try to look at their sophomore album, Through Being Cool, through the eyes of someone who has never heard of them.
I remember when I first picked up the album; it was the August of 2002. It was my first Saves the Day album and right from the start it was a love affair. "All-Star Me" kicks off the album and it's short and sweet, while getting straight to the point: it's a very accessible album that gives us insights into the life of Christopher Conley. Every song is a story, giving us a perfect musical Polaroid of what's going on. You can almost visualize the songs as they are happening because Chris uses brilliant imagery with, what was considered at the time of its release, some of the wittiest and most upfront lyrics of the time period. Even by today's standards, the album's lyrics are still arguably some of the best to come out in the last ten years.
The highlight of the album is mainly the whole collection. Everyone will have their favorites, and to name highlights of it would seem foolish when in the end it is all a matter of which songs connect with you or just leave you with a smile. From a perspective of a reviewer though, the album did take some time to grow on me. There were those tracks that immediately got replayed after hearing them, but some of the tracks like "Third Engine" take some time to grow on you. But when these songs do grow on you, like a hook, they sink in deep and pull you along. The album ends with "Banned from the Backporch" which I feel goes in line with Saves the Day's ability to close an album on a very high note and give you the feeling of being complete.
I feel that the production of the album is very well done for the time period and it actually sort of gives it a nostalgic feel. You can tell the album wasn't recorded anytime in the past 7 years, but in that it gives the album its own feel and gives the vibe of a scrapbook to me. As I mentioned earlier, the songs are like Polaroids and that fits with this "scrapbook" of an album.
Time has treated the album well and the songs still hold up as much today as they did when they were first released. Chris' vocals are right on and just encompass the emotion behind each story. It is still one of my favorite albums to throw on and jam out to whether its on a spring afternoon walk or a late night summer drive.
For fans of the Saves the Day, this will be a staple in your collection as it will undoubtedly be a favorite of their catalog. For those who haven't given them a listen, it's a great album to start out with. Even though Saves the Day changes their line-up and their style with each album, the words behind it all are still coming from the same man, and this album is one of his finer works.
Saves The DayI remember when I first picked up the album; it was the August of 2002. It was my first Saves the Day album and right from the start it was a love affair. "All-Star Me" kicks off the album and it's short and sweet, while getting straight to the point: it's a very accessible album that gives us insights into the life of Christopher Conley. Every song is a story, giving us a perfect musical Polaroid of what's going on. You can almost visualize the songs as they are happening because Chris uses brilliant imagery with, what was considered at the time of its release, some of the wittiest and most upfront lyrics of the time period. Even by today's standards, the album's lyrics are still arguably some of the best to come out in the last ten years.
The highlight of the album is mainly the whole collection. Everyone will have their favorites, and to name highlights of it would seem foolish when in the end it is all a matter of which songs connect with you or just leave you with a smile. From a perspective of a reviewer though, the album did take some time to grow on me. There were those tracks that immediately got replayed after hearing them, but some of the tracks like "Third Engine" take some time to grow on you. But when these songs do grow on you, like a hook, they sink in deep and pull you along. The album ends with "Banned from the Backporch" which I feel goes in line with Saves the Day's ability to close an album on a very high note and give you the feeling of being complete.
I feel that the production of the album is very well done for the time period and it actually sort of gives it a nostalgic feel. You can tell the album wasn't recorded anytime in the past 7 years, but in that it gives the album its own feel and gives the vibe of a scrapbook to me. As I mentioned earlier, the songs are like Polaroids and that fits with this "scrapbook" of an album.
Time has treated the album well and the songs still hold up as much today as they did when they were first released. Chris' vocals are right on and just encompass the emotion behind each story. It is still one of my favorite albums to throw on and jam out to whether its on a spring afternoon walk or a late night summer drive.
For fans of the Saves the Day, this will be a staple in your collection as it will undoubtedly be a favorite of their catalog. For those who haven't given them a listen, it's a great album to start out with. Even though Saves the Day changes their line-up and their style with each album, the words behind it all are still coming from the same man, and this album is one of his finer works.
absolutepunk.net
The first Saves the Day record, Can't Slow Down sounded an awful lot like Lifetime. Most critics would use
that in a derogatory manner. But I'm not a critic. I'm a fan. Lifetime is one of the greatest hardcore or punk
or whatever bands to grace this planet. So I'm biased. For me to say something sounds like Lifetime is a high
compliment. However (you knew it was coming), you're not going to make a name for yourself by trying to sound like
a scene defining band. So while I found Can't Slow Down listenable, it quickly ended up in a drawer on my
desk. It followed the Lifetime formula too closely, and that's no fun. I want surprises, after all.
Thankfully, with Through Being Cool, the band has nearly found themselves. It's still a little derivative. One of the better
tracks, Rocks Tonic Juice Magic sounds almost identical to Samiam's track, Capsized from
their Clumsy album. However, the rest of the album seems to be more in line with where I hope to see the band moving in the next
while.
It's good, simple pop-punk, with some hard edges, and, to their credit, they don't sound like anything on
Fat, which is a hard thing for a pop-punk band to do.
This isn't a mediocre album. It's actually a very good one, but mostly
because it shows the potential and talent that will hopefully make
Saves the Day into a classic to rival their idols.
Aubinpunknews.org
Review Summary: A Definitive Point in Saves the Day's Career.
4 of 4 thought this review was well written
Welcome to Saves the Day, the ever changing ball of clay. Saves the Day has gone through many transformations in their 10 or so years of existence, including many new members and many new sound. Most people are familiar with STD's later works... songs like "At Your Funeral" and "Anywhere With You", both from albums released during their "post-millennium" era. Don't get me wrong, I love all of their work, and the album Stay What You Are is excellent, but where Saves the Day really shines is pre-2000... If you take a look back there, 1999 to be exact, you'll find a wonderful gem, compounded with everything that defines Saves the Day and who they are today - they called it Through Being Cool.
I picked up this album somewhere about 8 years ago when it was first released and I was a young teenage boy living out his pre-pubescent life wanting be a punk rock and roll star. The moment I popped Through Being Cool into my CD player and listened to it, I had began to look at music a different way. Through Being Cool is jam packed with melodic hardcore (if you will) guitar riffs, fast paced drum beats, incredible bass lines, and loud, whiny, emotional vocals and words. In my eyes, this album is the true definition of an emo album that is done well and done correctly. Through Being Cool is a keeper no matter how you look at it.
All-Star Me - The album kicks off with a little bit of amp feedback, a progression of three guitar power chords and a full band entrance immediately after. This song is fairly short, only 1:43 in length, but in those nearly-two minutes, you immediately fall in love with Chris's voice and the way he portrays his lyrics as more a story rather than a song. The songs is fairly fast with a short "break-down" with single guitar strums and Chris's voice wailing loud. The song ends with one of my favorite lyrics on the whole album, "Even now that you're not here, I climb these mountains of houses every night / I say your name and wished I could have done things right." Awesome opening song, especially for it's short length. (8/10)
You Vandal - The second song starts of with another guitar riff, this time slightly more grungy and distorted. A long drum roll and a slide down the bass neck lead the way for a full band ensemble, complete with distorted guitar octaves and super-fast drumming. The verse of the song sounds a lot like a punk song, but not before long, we're tossed into the chorus, with slower-paced drumming and very rhythmical guitar and bass work tracked with lines you can't help but sing along with. "Whoa, hey, what can I do? Lungs are breathin' open air and my spleen is dripping from my pants. Whoa, hey, what can I do? Left me in the cold, and I miss you." Once you hear the chorus, you be hooked into this song and the verses will flow along with it. Excellent song, one of their best. (10/10)
Shoulder To The Wheel - This time, we hear few quick guitar bends and we're off. The intro is upbeat and fast paced, but not quite as fast as the two preceding songs. The verse of the song is even slower with quieter drums and less guitar which really brings out Chris's voice as he sings about being on the road. "And I say just go, please Dave, just drive. Get us as far as far can be, get us away from tonight." Not before long, the guitar picks up in the second part of the verse and we are launched into another head-bobbing, toe tapping chorus which is a perfect opportunity to sing along. "We drive, Dave steps on the gas. The world thats flying by is slick and smooth, just big waves of light. The radio's playin' Queen and we're rockin' out." Chris Conley, you are a genius. (9/10)
Rocks Tonic Juice Magic - Rocks Tonic Juice Magic immediately begins with a guitar and a voice, and some of the most descriptive, yet insightfully hopeful lyrics from the whole album. "Let me take this awkward saw, run it against your thighs. Cut some flesh away, I'll carry this piece of you with me." Amazingly written and sung. The verses progress with a slower pace than most of the album and end with a jazz-type drum beat, very little guitar, lots of bass, and Chris's voice. After the first time, we hear another verse, but the second time leads us straight into three solid drum beats, a pause, and Chris yelling "(My) heart is on the floor" after which the rest of the band joins in to see him finish with "Why don't you step on it? When I think of all the things you've done." The songs ends with a louder jam and the same line being repeated over and over... "You and I are like when fire and the ocean floor collide." (8/10)
Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots - This song, for a change, begins with a drums intro before blasting into a fast melodic jam. This song is very upbeat and cheerful sounding, though the lyrics are descriptive about getting your heart broken by someone you love. Chris begins, "Somewhere underwater, maybe you can find my heart. That's where I threw it after you had torn it out." After that, it's even more melodic guitar riffs along with story-telling lyrics. This song has no definitive chorus, yet begs you to sing along the whole way through. It abruptly ends with the guitars stopping exactly on a drum beat, but not before Chris yells, "I'm diving in this river, fishing out my heart. Never gonna let you get your hands on this again." A masterpiece. (10/10)
Third Engine - This is by far my favorite song in the album. Beginning with a fast guitar into, we are soon listening to a few quick drum fills that point us towards the first verse, which describes Chris taking a train to see his loved one. The verses are somewhat fast with heavy, deep guitar parts. Then there is the chorus. In my opinion, it is musically and lyrically the best chorus on this album. The guitars are dancing around solid chords with slightly melodic fills in between each one, which Chris yells, "Did you know, my sweet, that I once took the liberty of watching you in your sleep? I rolled over and over, trying to touch your knees underneath the sheets. Trying to touch your knees." The way he yells the words sweet, sleep, and knees over the guitars and drums behind him is musical genius to my ears. I love every second of it, and I get chills when I hear it. (10/10)
My Sweet Fracture - My Sweet Fracture, being the longest song on the record at 3:52, is ignited by a quick drum roll immediately followed by a verse full of drum and bass. Not before long, the guitar comes in following the same pattern as the bass, and the verse ends with a harmonic, "No-oh-oh." The chorus follows, feeling very melancholy, yet uplifting at the same time as Chris sings, "Don't you love those leaves? Don't you wish the orange stayed forever and crickets sang in the night all through winter?" The rest of the song flows perfectly through another verse and chorus, leading into the "outro" where it starts off quiet and mellowed out, but picks up and gets harder and harder over time as the same line is repeated, "I'd rather forget the days we spent than try to stay afloat in shallow water," being spoken at first, but yelled by the end. (9/10)
The Vast Spoils of America (From the Badlands Through the Ocean) - Probably the most overlooked and underrated song on the album. This song is about being on the road away from your home and learning to appreciate the beauty of nature and open up your mind. The verses are fast and rocking, ending with an abrupt guitar fill followed by Chris's solo voice yelling "California!" followed by a backed-up, "where the mountains climb so tall and waves crash blue around you." You can call this part the chorus, which is also pretty fast and upbeat. The song eventually reaches the bridge or interlude (whatever you want to call it) which has a head-nodding guitar/drum part as well as another one of my favorite lyrics on the CD. "Sometimes taking off can open up your eyes to everything that lies in your heart. That's when you miss your home and trees seem a little deader." (9/10)
The Last Lie I Told - This song sounds somewhat set apart from the rest of this album. It begins with a clean guitar riff which is surely enough followed by distortion and drums. This song, however, seems quick at first glance, but is a slowly-flowing song. Then it reaches a new part a slightly more upbeat part, where Chris sings, "I think I can see for miles, the city is just beyond those clouds and I guess this is what it's like to be really down," which leads us into a section of on-and-off drum beats and guitar strums. Right after that is the last part of the song which feels the same way the first part of this song did. It has no definitive chorus or hook, but it's a very cool song. Not one of their best, but it deserves a listen. (7/10)
Do You Know What I Love The Most? - The shortest song on this album, clocking in at 1:34, is also one of my favorite. It starts off with an in-your-face drum roll and a killer bass line before it comes to a sharp halt and you are tossed into an ultra-fast verse filled with uplifting guitars and blazing drums. The song continues with this melody on speed until it reaches a stuttering stop right into a jazzy drum section with more thumping bass. The song is so damn catchy and the words are excellent, telling a story of Chris and a someone he loves experiencing a day together. "(I'll) sit in the lazy chair, all day remembering the things you do so when you come home, I jump up to kiss you and it will knock you back, you'll fall over our TV set. Pick you up to dust you off, baby lets give it a go." Awesome song to rock out too. (10/10)
Through Being Cool - The most un-Saves the Day song here, and in my opinion the worst song. It's not bad, but it's not them. The verse is "evil" sounding and has cheesy lyrics, "You know what? The next time you see Nick, yeah, tell him I'm gonna stick some needles in his face." The chorus is very different sounding than the rest of the song, as is actually pretty catchy. Despite being my least favorite, this song has one of my favorite lyrics, "I'll see the way the world begins to need color everywhere, and I'll realize how small I really am." (6/10)
Banned From The Back Porch - A song about seeing a girl at a party and falling in love with her at first sight. The beginning has a rocking guitar riff followed by a stuttering, toe-tapping guitar pattern for the verse. The chorus is very memorable as Chris melodically sings, "Whoa, who is this? Where was she all those crazy years? Whoa, who is this? Where was she when my heart couldn't take it's beat?" A somewhat rocked-out song with slightly more heartfelt lyrics. Very good, indeed. (8/10)
Saves the Day is by no means perfect, but this album is a definite landmark in their career as well as the entire genre of emo music altogether. Whether YOU define it as emo or pop-punk or melodic hardcore, one this is for certain: this album rocks, plain and simple, no buts about it.
Welcome to Saves the Day, the ever changing ball of clay. Saves the Day has gone through many transformations in their 10 or so years of existence, including many new members and many new sound. Most people are familiar with STD's later works... songs like "At Your Funeral" and "Anywhere With You", both from albums released during their "post-millennium" era. Don't get me wrong, I love all of their work, and the album Stay What You Are is excellent, but where Saves the Day really shines is pre-2000... If you take a look back there, 1999 to be exact, you'll find a wonderful gem, compounded with everything that defines Saves the Day and who they are today - they called it Through Being Cool.
I picked up this album somewhere about 8 years ago when it was first released and I was a young teenage boy living out his pre-pubescent life wanting be a punk rock and roll star. The moment I popped Through Being Cool into my CD player and listened to it, I had began to look at music a different way. Through Being Cool is jam packed with melodic hardcore (if you will) guitar riffs, fast paced drum beats, incredible bass lines, and loud, whiny, emotional vocals and words. In my eyes, this album is the true definition of an emo album that is done well and done correctly. Through Being Cool is a keeper no matter how you look at it.
All-Star Me - The album kicks off with a little bit of amp feedback, a progression of three guitar power chords and a full band entrance immediately after. This song is fairly short, only 1:43 in length, but in those nearly-two minutes, you immediately fall in love with Chris's voice and the way he portrays his lyrics as more a story rather than a song. The songs is fairly fast with a short "break-down" with single guitar strums and Chris's voice wailing loud. The song ends with one of my favorite lyrics on the whole album, "Even now that you're not here, I climb these mountains of houses every night / I say your name and wished I could have done things right." Awesome opening song, especially for it's short length. (8/10)
You Vandal - The second song starts of with another guitar riff, this time slightly more grungy and distorted. A long drum roll and a slide down the bass neck lead the way for a full band ensemble, complete with distorted guitar octaves and super-fast drumming. The verse of the song sounds a lot like a punk song, but not before long, we're tossed into the chorus, with slower-paced drumming and very rhythmical guitar and bass work tracked with lines you can't help but sing along with. "Whoa, hey, what can I do? Lungs are breathin' open air and my spleen is dripping from my pants. Whoa, hey, what can I do? Left me in the cold, and I miss you." Once you hear the chorus, you be hooked into this song and the verses will flow along with it. Excellent song, one of their best. (10/10)
Shoulder To The Wheel - This time, we hear few quick guitar bends and we're off. The intro is upbeat and fast paced, but not quite as fast as the two preceding songs. The verse of the song is even slower with quieter drums and less guitar which really brings out Chris's voice as he sings about being on the road. "And I say just go, please Dave, just drive. Get us as far as far can be, get us away from tonight." Not before long, the guitar picks up in the second part of the verse and we are launched into another head-bobbing, toe tapping chorus which is a perfect opportunity to sing along. "We drive, Dave steps on the gas. The world thats flying by is slick and smooth, just big waves of light. The radio's playin' Queen and we're rockin' out." Chris Conley, you are a genius. (9/10)
Rocks Tonic Juice Magic - Rocks Tonic Juice Magic immediately begins with a guitar and a voice, and some of the most descriptive, yet insightfully hopeful lyrics from the whole album. "Let me take this awkward saw, run it against your thighs. Cut some flesh away, I'll carry this piece of you with me." Amazingly written and sung. The verses progress with a slower pace than most of the album and end with a jazz-type drum beat, very little guitar, lots of bass, and Chris's voice. After the first time, we hear another verse, but the second time leads us straight into three solid drum beats, a pause, and Chris yelling "(My) heart is on the floor" after which the rest of the band joins in to see him finish with "Why don't you step on it? When I think of all the things you've done." The songs ends with a louder jam and the same line being repeated over and over... "You and I are like when fire and the ocean floor collide." (8/10)
Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots - This song, for a change, begins with a drums intro before blasting into a fast melodic jam. This song is very upbeat and cheerful sounding, though the lyrics are descriptive about getting your heart broken by someone you love. Chris begins, "Somewhere underwater, maybe you can find my heart. That's where I threw it after you had torn it out." After that, it's even more melodic guitar riffs along with story-telling lyrics. This song has no definitive chorus, yet begs you to sing along the whole way through. It abruptly ends with the guitars stopping exactly on a drum beat, but not before Chris yells, "I'm diving in this river, fishing out my heart. Never gonna let you get your hands on this again." A masterpiece. (10/10)
Third Engine - This is by far my favorite song in the album. Beginning with a fast guitar into, we are soon listening to a few quick drum fills that point us towards the first verse, which describes Chris taking a train to see his loved one. The verses are somewhat fast with heavy, deep guitar parts. Then there is the chorus. In my opinion, it is musically and lyrically the best chorus on this album. The guitars are dancing around solid chords with slightly melodic fills in between each one, which Chris yells, "Did you know, my sweet, that I once took the liberty of watching you in your sleep? I rolled over and over, trying to touch your knees underneath the sheets. Trying to touch your knees." The way he yells the words sweet, sleep, and knees over the guitars and drums behind him is musical genius to my ears. I love every second of it, and I get chills when I hear it. (10/10)
My Sweet Fracture - My Sweet Fracture, being the longest song on the record at 3:52, is ignited by a quick drum roll immediately followed by a verse full of drum and bass. Not before long, the guitar comes in following the same pattern as the bass, and the verse ends with a harmonic, "No-oh-oh." The chorus follows, feeling very melancholy, yet uplifting at the same time as Chris sings, "Don't you love those leaves? Don't you wish the orange stayed forever and crickets sang in the night all through winter?" The rest of the song flows perfectly through another verse and chorus, leading into the "outro" where it starts off quiet and mellowed out, but picks up and gets harder and harder over time as the same line is repeated, "I'd rather forget the days we spent than try to stay afloat in shallow water," being spoken at first, but yelled by the end. (9/10)
The Vast Spoils of America (From the Badlands Through the Ocean) - Probably the most overlooked and underrated song on the album. This song is about being on the road away from your home and learning to appreciate the beauty of nature and open up your mind. The verses are fast and rocking, ending with an abrupt guitar fill followed by Chris's solo voice yelling "California!" followed by a backed-up, "where the mountains climb so tall and waves crash blue around you." You can call this part the chorus, which is also pretty fast and upbeat. The song eventually reaches the bridge or interlude (whatever you want to call it) which has a head-nodding guitar/drum part as well as another one of my favorite lyrics on the CD. "Sometimes taking off can open up your eyes to everything that lies in your heart. That's when you miss your home and trees seem a little deader." (9/10)
The Last Lie I Told - This song sounds somewhat set apart from the rest of this album. It begins with a clean guitar riff which is surely enough followed by distortion and drums. This song, however, seems quick at first glance, but is a slowly-flowing song. Then it reaches a new part a slightly more upbeat part, where Chris sings, "I think I can see for miles, the city is just beyond those clouds and I guess this is what it's like to be really down," which leads us into a section of on-and-off drum beats and guitar strums. Right after that is the last part of the song which feels the same way the first part of this song did. It has no definitive chorus or hook, but it's a very cool song. Not one of their best, but it deserves a listen. (7/10)
Do You Know What I Love The Most? - The shortest song on this album, clocking in at 1:34, is also one of my favorite. It starts off with an in-your-face drum roll and a killer bass line before it comes to a sharp halt and you are tossed into an ultra-fast verse filled with uplifting guitars and blazing drums. The song continues with this melody on speed until it reaches a stuttering stop right into a jazzy drum section with more thumping bass. The song is so damn catchy and the words are excellent, telling a story of Chris and a someone he loves experiencing a day together. "(I'll) sit in the lazy chair, all day remembering the things you do so when you come home, I jump up to kiss you and it will knock you back, you'll fall over our TV set. Pick you up to dust you off, baby lets give it a go." Awesome song to rock out too. (10/10)
Through Being Cool - The most un-Saves the Day song here, and in my opinion the worst song. It's not bad, but it's not them. The verse is "evil" sounding and has cheesy lyrics, "You know what? The next time you see Nick, yeah, tell him I'm gonna stick some needles in his face." The chorus is very different sounding than the rest of the song, as is actually pretty catchy. Despite being my least favorite, this song has one of my favorite lyrics, "I'll see the way the world begins to need color everywhere, and I'll realize how small I really am." (6/10)
Banned From The Back Porch - A song about seeing a girl at a party and falling in love with her at first sight. The beginning has a rocking guitar riff followed by a stuttering, toe-tapping guitar pattern for the verse. The chorus is very memorable as Chris melodically sings, "Whoa, who is this? Where was she all those crazy years? Whoa, who is this? Where was she when my heart couldn't take it's beat?" A somewhat rocked-out song with slightly more heartfelt lyrics. Very good, indeed. (8/10)
Saves the Day is by no means perfect, but this album is a definite landmark in their career as well as the entire genre of emo music altogether. Whether YOU define it as emo or pop-punk or melodic hardcore, one this is for certain: this album rocks, plain and simple, no buts about it.
tectactoe
sputnikmusic.com
Possessing a fiery dynamism lacking in their debut Can't Slow Down, Saves the Day's sophomore release on Equal Vision is an emocore classic. More anxious than emo godfathers Get Up Kids, Saves the Day opted for punchier production and faster tempos to provide a backdrop for singer Chris Conley's romantic teen declarations. True to the genre Conley helped define, his lyrics walk a thin sentimental wire. Just when the stories lose balance, leaning toward the obvious, sappy, or both, Conley pulls it together with plain-spoken honesty, as in "Third Engine" when he describes seeing his long-distance love in the face of another girl while riding a train: "I looked out past her cheeks/Through the glass-light conduit/But the sun had sank already/Disappeared into New Jersey/Oh, why don't they have phones on these things." Conley's disclosures resonate wildly with his teen audience - validating their shallow, but still open wounds - while the band's tightly wound arrangements gyrate around his language of casual suffering. Highlights of this most elevated combination include the melodic, quick-paced "My Sweet Fracture" and "The Last I Told You." Ending Through Being Cool with the metallic "Banned From the Back Porch," Saves the Day toys with expectation, revealing an eagerness to explore outside the emocore form that is all but mastered on this 1999 release.
Vincent Jeffriesallmusic.com
It's 2011, but you wouldn't know that from some of the tours going on recently. Pete Yorn and Ben Kweller? Coheed and Cambria? Are you sure it's 2011? Also on that list of bands who were huge when I was in high school is Saves the Day. They've got a forthcoming album (Daybreak, due out this fall) and a summer tour with the Get Up Kids (themselves on the tail end of a reunion/new album tour). And yet, common reactions to this news are either "Who?" or "Wait, they're still together?".
They are still together, they did write a new album, and yes, it is really 2011. Saves the Day is still going strong, but it's no secret that their fan base loves the classics. Around the time controversial album In Reverie was released (2003), many die-hard STD fans crawled into the back catalogue and never came out. But it being 2011 and all, perhaps it's been a while since you spun some classic STD on a sunny afternoon. I'd like to nominate 1999 release Through Being Cool for your next trip down memory lane.
While most fans need no introduction to this record, it's worth revisiting for many reasons. Its tracklist is a veritable master course on the band: "Shoulder to the Wheel", "Rocks Tonic Juice Magic", "Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots", and "Third Engine" to name just a few. These tracks (the first two in particular) have aged so well that they haven't really aged at all; they sound just as vital 12 years down the road as they did pre-cell phones and September 11th. Maybe that's partially because the idea of the road trip is an iconic part of American culture:
"We drive/Dave steps on the gas/The world that's flying by is slick and smooth/Big waves of light/the radio's playing Queen/And we're rocking out" –from "Shoulder to the Wheel"
"Rocks Tonic Juice Magic" also boasts one of lead singer Chris Conley's earlier forays into lyrical self-mortification. Starting with a now-iconic image ("Let me take this awkward saw/run it across your thighs"), the lyrics concern eyeball removal and the offering of the protagonist's heart to step on, both literally and figuratively. "I'd buy you lemonade right now if you were here/then I'd throw it in your face/and I'd listen to you cry," Conley wails, heartbroken in every sense of the word.
Other prime breakup material on this album includes "My Sweet Fracture" ("Could you tell me the next time that you're choking/I'll run right over to shove some dirt right down your throat") and "You Vandal" ("I woke up to my cold sheets and the smell of New Jersey/… my ribs have parted ways/said ‘we're not going to protect this heart you have'").
The songs still burn with all the sincerity of emotion Conley penned into them a dozen years ago, partly due to the tart sting of the lyrics but also due to skillful instrumentation. Judicious use of electric guitar and an aggressive percussion section remind the listener that STD shows were once not as acoustic as they are now. The intro to "Shoulder to the Wheel" and all of "Banned From the Back Porch" burn with the punk-rock intensity of this energy. "Banned" in particular rocks pretty hard, the kind of song that makes kids of any generation thrash a little harder in the mosh pit.
Alternative Press put Through Being Cool on their 1999 list of most influential albums; to that accolade we might also add that it was the most influential album of Saves the Day's career. Their follow-up, Stay What You Are, is equally popular and contains a similar number of notable singles, but Through Being Cool is the one that established Saves the Day as a force on the music scene while supplying them with setlist material for the rest of their career. Brush the dust off this puppy, and believe again in the magic that was cruising with the windows rolled down and the music turned up, "Shoulder to the Wheel" blasting on your stereo, circa 1999.
Megan Ritt
consequenceofsound.net
Saves The Day – Can't Slow Down (1998)
Can't Slow Down documents the origins of a very young punk band blessed with unusual talent. Due only to their instrumental superiority, Saves the Day's subsequent releases slightly eclipse this 1998 full-length debut. Listeners will probably prefer Through Being Cool's more developed emocore melodicism and highly evolved arrangements. That's not to say that Can't Slow Down fails to deliver any of the pop-punk components that emo fans would expect from the New Jersey musicians. Most notably, vocalist and songwriter Chris Conley's inventive lyrical approach is up to the high standard of later material. Worded like journal entries and love letters, Conley's refreshing verses are free of clichйs and predictable rhymes, giving an honesty and definition to his work that similar artists generally can't match. Things really click on better cuts like "Always Ten Feet Tall," but for the most part, Can't Slow Down doesn't quite deliver the musicality that fans of Saves the Day might expect. ~ Vincent Jeffries Former Members Of Mouthpiece Saves The Day: Chris Conley (vocals); Anthony Anastacio, Justin Gaylord (Guitar); Sean McGrath (bass); Bryan Newman (drums).
cduniverse.com
WOW... This is the record that got me hooked on these guys. I had always enjoyed the bands on Equal Vision so one day while i was just looking around for nothing in particular i ran in to this cd. At first i just passed it off assuming it was some shitty mainstream rock band (as most are in this record store) since i had never heard fo them (and i dont think ANYONE had). But then as i looked at the back i saw that they were on Equal Vision so I thought what the hell? and i bought it. As soon as i got home i put it in the CD player and was very suprised at what i heard. Not a heavy-hardcore band like i had suspected (considering the Equal Vision label on the back) but what i heard was a nice melodic-hardcore band which reminded me so much of Lifetime. The main difference between Saves the Day and Lifetime is the vocals. Though both Ari (Lifetime) and Chris (Saves the Day) are very into the songs, Chris's voice is much softer and not as rough as Ari's therefore it doesn't seem like he is "scringing" (thats my word for scream singing) but if you ever get to see these guys live you'll see how into it he really gets. Well enough about who they sound like on to the songs!
The album starts off with a heavy guitar that is quickly followed by a fast paced high pitched riff, then the drums come in and then the singing. This is a fast melodic hardcore song that is very Lifetimeish. The next song which is also featured on the "East Coast Hardcore Vs. West Coast Hardcore" compilation is called "The Choke". It is much slower than the first track but is a fast paced song which breaks down near the end. Up next is "Handsome Boy", a very short but sweet song about Chris wishing he looked like someone else. "Blindfolded" is the next song to play and it kind of reminds me of track 2 "The Choke" mixed with the first song "Deciding". This song is one of my favourites. It is constantly going back and forth between fast drum beats and slower drums beats all held together by smooth guitar riffs. Very catchy. The next song is "Collision" and it is my favourite on the album. It is by far the fastest one therefore making it the favourite of many people who are into faster stuff like Good Riddance and NOFX. The reason it is my favourite is #1 i enjoy faster music and #2 the guitar work on this song is excellent, mixing fast and furious with lighter poppier stuff. Now from one extreme to the next, "Three Miles Down" is an acoustic song with just a guitar and Chris singing. this is a very good song. I'm suprised this wasn't the last track however i guess it was a little short at only 1:36. Next is a song that is more in the style of those found on "Through Being Cool". I dont like the music as much on this one but Chris's vocals make up for that and more. He is an excellent singer who can take this song which has a rather weak backbone of music and turn it into a very good one. "Nebraska Bricks" is next up. This song is another fast paced dandy. The song is about having problems with you're family and wanted to just get away from it all by using music. "cuz after call that happens in a dissolving family the need for a song to sing me to sleep still rings true" says it all for that song. Track 9 is titled "Seeing It This Way". This is another song that reminds me of Lifetime once more. Number ten on this disc is called "Hot Time In Delaware" this song is alright but it isn't one that stands out on the album. Next is a song that begins the best chunk of the record. #11 titled "Houses And Billboards" is an amazing song. It starts out fast and upbeat then slowly gets slower and slower until there is just a guitar and the odd sound of a snare drum here and there. The next track "Obsolete" is another one of my favourites. It is once more a fast song. This time in the middle of the song everything cuts out but the guitar and Chris's vocals [my fav. part:)] then everything comes back in and it finishes as fast as it started."Sometimes, New Jersey" is the 2nd last song and the shortest. First few times around this was my favourite song. The las song is genius. "Jodie" mixes the sounds of guitars tuned down to drop d with the normal Saves the Day riffs. This is the longest song on the cd at 4:36.
punk_kid
punknews.org
Review Summary: "Don't leave yet, it's still early and I haven't even said a word."
4 of 4 thought this review was well written
Time is both a band's best friend and worst enemy. A countless number of artists have struck gold early on in their careers, releasing classic albums that increase in merit and influence over time while fans watch the artists fade into irrelevance, struggling to cling on to what fame they have left. It's kind of sad, really, to see bands that were once making heartfelt music now grasping at straws, forcing their creative juices to recirculate, when the passion is no longer there. They resort to booking reunion and anniversary tours, reissuing albums, and making attempts at a stylistic return to form, when, in reality, nothing will ever help them live up to the gigantic expectations created by a classic debut or sophomore release. While Saves the Day have possibly overstayed their welcome and do exemplify this cycle to a degree, they have generally withstood the test of time, maintaining a dedicated fanbase and remaining as a reputable and highly influential pop punk band. So hey, let's cut them a break (and pretend that Daybreak and Under the Boards don't exist), because after all, the New Jersey legends released not one, not two, but three classic albums early on in their career, the first of which being Can't Slow Down.
So it's no secret (and certainly no surprise) that Saves the Day worshipped their New Jersey brethren in Lifetime, and no album in their discography makes it more obvious than Can't Slow Down. From the barrage of power chords, melodic guitar leads, bouncing bass lines and rapid punk drum beats to Chris Conley's oscillating shout (that is nearly identical to Ari Katz' urgent yet sinfully catchy vocal delivery), the young, soon-to-be pop punk vets mirrored Lifetime in almost every aspect. Needless to say, the resulting fourteen track album is a relentlessly catchy, thirty minute sing-along that showcases Saves the Day before they found their true identity.
Now, the question is, does the album's striking similarities to Lifetime make Can't Slow Down any less enjoyable, or for that matter, any less of a pop punk classic? Absolutely not. However, a listener's connection with the album may not be instantaneous. At first, fourteen tracks may be a bit overwhelming, especially considering the similarities between them, with the exception of fan-favorite acoustic track, "Three Miles Down." Though no two tracks on the album differ drastically, they are almost all littered with little ear-catching moments to quickly help you differentiate one song from another, whether it be "The Choke's" unforgettable outro, the melancholic, cathartic build up in "Always Ten Feet Tall," or the gang vocals in "Handsome Boy." These obvious, instantly memorable moments will be the ones that suck the listener in on the first few spins of the record, but with each listen it becomes more apparent that almost every moment on the album is memorable. In no time at all, a few catchy stand out tracks turn into one cohesive, inseparable thirty minute ride just begging to be recited word for word.
While Can't Slow Down is undeniably a classic album, it is not without its flaws. In addition to the somewhat repetitive and limited nature of the tracks, one of the more glaring issues is with Conley's lyrics, which are strong overall but at times make little to no sense. For the sake of maintaining a concise, catchy, and quick vocal delivery, he will often rearrange a line to an almost nonsensical point. Take "Seeing It This Way" for example, in which one of the lines reads, "With all this complicated can't get past the thought of thinking, wonder whether hope or understanding rings truer." Personally, I can't help but laugh to myself each time I hear Conley recall how he "breathed in water smells" down at "some boating dock." Can't Slow Down is not the only Saves the Day album to feature awkwardly phrased lyrics (see the mantra in "Firefly" off Stay What You Are), but it is safe to say that the sheer catchiness and overall content of the lyrics makes up for any questionable word choices or omissions.
Considering everything that Saves the Day have accomplished over the course of an 18-year career, Can't Slow Down is still undoubtedly a staple of their discography, and any fan of the band or genre overlooking this phenomenal debut is doing himself a disservice. This album represents the glory days of pop punk before stagnation, when bands like Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, and The Get Up Kids were all doing radically different things for the genre, for all the right reasons. Although this isn't Saves the Day's self-definitive magnum opus, Can't Slow Down should be regarded as the exciting beginning of a band who went on to change pop punk as we know it and leave a lasting impression on many bands to come.
sputnikmusic.com
Can't Slow Down documents the origins of a very young punk band blessed with unusual talent. Due only to their instrumental superiority, Saves the Day's subsequent releases slightly eclipse this 1998 full-length debut. Listeners will probably prefer Through Being Cool's more developed emocore melodicism and highly evolved arrangements. That's not to say that Can't Slow Down fails to deliver any of the pop-punk components that emo fans would expect from the New Jersey musicians. Most notably, vocalist and songwriter Chris Conley's inventive lyrical approach is up to the high standard of later material. Worded like journal entries and love letters, Conley's refreshing verses are free of clichés and predictable rhymes, giving an honesty and definition to his work that similar artists generally can't match. Things really click on better cuts like "Always Ten Feet Tall," but for the most part, Can't Slow Down doesn't quite deliver the musicality that fans of Saves the Day might expect.
Vincent Jeffries
allmusic.comSaves The Day – Can't Slow Down (1998) 320kbps
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Various Artist - Deep Elm: Is This Thing On? (2012)
To celebrate the songs by Deep Elm artists that have made the Top 100 Emo Songs of All Time by the keen bloggers over at "Is This Thing On?", Deep Elm has put together the following Free Compilation of all 12 songs that appear on the list. And for a limited time, you and your friends can download them all in hi-res courtesy of deepelmdigital.com! Ah-mazing, right? We're proud of our bands, the inspiration and consolation these songs have offered to fans across the globe and the fact that no other label has as many songs on the list as Deep Elm Records. We have always been sincerely grateful to be part of such a powerful scene...it changed our lives and can still change yours.
View the complete Top 100 Emo Songs of All Time here
deepelmdigital.com
Tracklist:
1. The Appleseed Cast - Marigold & Patchwork (#3) (05:49)
2. Planes Mistaken For Stars - Copper And Stars (#11) (03:31) 3. Cross My Heart - It Doesn't Take That Many Pills To Sleep Forever (#14) (03:48)
4. Pop Unknown - Half Of Ninety (#22) (04:03)
5. The Appleseed Cast - Forever Longing The Golden Sunsets (#24) (04:41)
6. Benton Falls - All These Things (#53) (05:03)
7. Imbroco - You're My Lionkiller (#57) (04:54)
8. Hundred Hands - A Replay (#71) (04:28)
9. The Appleseed Cast - Steps And Numbers (#74) (05:54)
10. Starmarket - Losing Track (#83) (03:31)
11. Brandtson - Still Life (#85) (06:11)
12. Race Car Riot - Raincheck (#88) (03:08)
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Various Artist - ReDirection: A Polyvinyl Sampler (2001)
ReDirection provides an excellent overview of Polyvinyl's early releases with nineteen tracks that include six unreleased/rare songs from Aloha, AM/FM, matt pond PA, Pele and Sunday's Best. Also includes tracks from Rainer Maria, Braid, American Football and many others.
polyvinylrecords.com
Straddling the indie and post-rock worlds (often one in the same, really), Chicago's Polyvinyl label has earned praise from a streak of releases from groups like Aloha, Radio Flyer, Paris, Texas, and the sadly defunct Braid. Tossed-off roster compilations from indie labels are a hot thing, but ReDirection instead serves notice to just how deep and diverse the fringe rock communities bubbling just under the mainstream radar actually are. From old-school punk to new new wave, through arty instrumental post-rock to studied indie pop, a good example of all of it is contained here. Of note are two cuts from the always dramatic Rainer Maria ("Artificial Light," "Breakfast of Champions") and a pair of power melodies from Sunday's Best ("Saccharine," "Sons of the Second String"). Should send you running to the nearest small, dingy, smoky club in your city to find out what you've been missing. Includes previously unreleased tracks from the Ivory Coast, Matt Pond PA, Pele, and AM/FM.
John Duffyallmusic.com
Tracklist:
1. Sunday's Best - Saccharine (3:47)
2. The Ivory Coast - Swope (3:34)
3. Aloha - A Hundred Stories (2:54)
4. AM/FM - Come Suck Down A Cloud (3:54)
5. Radio Flyer - (312) (4:03)
6. Rainer Maria - Breakfast Of Champions (3:36)
7. American Football - Never Meant (4:18)
8. Matt Pond PA - A New Part Of Town (4:05)
9. Pele - The Mind Of Minolta (3:41)
10. Hey Mercedes - Stay Six (4:32)
11. Kerosene 454 - What Was (3:03)
12. Paris, Texas - Le Tigre (2:41)
13. Sunday's Best - Sons Of The Second String (4:01)
14. AM/FM - A Best Man (Put My Girlfriend On Fire) (2:58)
15. Rainer Maria - Artificial Light (3:38)
16. Braid - Killing A Camera (2:35)
17. Matt Pond PA - This Is Montreal (1:19)
18. Pele - Gas The Nutsy (6:50)
19. Aloha - Warsaw (5:18)
Karate – Karate (1995)
On request.
This music isn't for teenagers, but for mature people who are prone to self-reflection.
The debut disc from Allston, MA's Karate is a far cry from the jazzy, stripped-down rock that they would come to embody, but it's still an incredibly fresh start and a brilliant jumping-off point for a young band. Led by Geoff Farina's unparalleled guitar playing, this self-titled disc draws strongly from the burgeoning emo scene that was starting to appear at the time of its release. While peers in Texas Is the Reason and even the Promise Ring were out honing the early emo style, though, Karate were already taking things in a new direction. The opening slink of "Gasoline," with a lengthy pause after just a few lyrics, proved that the band wasn't rushing into anything, and the phenomenal "Bad Tattoo," one of the group's hardest-rocking songs, made it clear that Karate weren't afraid to show a little grit from time to time, either. The unfaltering musicianship that the band would come to perfect in the next few years and records may not be completely evident on this disc, but it is still a strong debut showing with a few truly standout tracks that make a lot of sense as the jumping-off point for Karate's later catalog.
Peter J. D'Angeloallmusic.com
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Camber – Anyway, I've Been There (1999)
'Think the epitome of maturity' is the description of Camber's new release by Deep Elm. In England, 'maturity' is a euphemism for when on the way to the recording studio, the guitarists broke their distortion pedals so all the songs sound like Oasis, but fortunately the same connotations haven't reached the shores of that big land accross the pond.
Anyway, "I've been there" is without doubt a far maturer record than their debut. Better playing, better songwriting and well, better songs. They take influences from all the greats from Promise Ring to Mineral, but at the same time creating a uniquely original sound. I think the originality comes from the occassional discordant guitar played on top of a beautiful melody, and while some cynics would say how the vocals are somewhat reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral, singer Barry Lott isnt afraid of the occassional harsh aggression which i always thought was missing from the aforemetioned bands.
This new release is one of the finest releases of the year so far, pure ear candy. And as for the song '38th and Eighth', just forget about it.
Anyway, "I've been there" is without doubt a far maturer record than their debut. Better playing, better songwriting and well, better songs. They take influences from all the greats from Promise Ring to Mineral, but at the same time creating a uniquely original sound. I think the originality comes from the occassional discordant guitar played on top of a beautiful melody, and while some cynics would say how the vocals are somewhat reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral, singer Barry Lott isnt afraid of the occassional harsh aggression which i always thought was missing from the aforemetioned bands.
This new release is one of the finest releases of the year so far, pure ear candy. And as for the song '38th and Eighth', just forget about it.
Dan Baker
collective-zine.co.uk
Second albums, to put it lightly, are a bitch. It's true in the mainstream rock world, for sure, and only slightly less so in the indie world. There's pressure to live up to your brilliant first album (or at least, your pretty cool first album), and a fumble can make a lot of people not bother with the third, if there is one. Now, couple that kind of intense scrutiny with the fact that your band's been pigeonholed into a genre that gets kicked like a redheaded stepchild by every music reviewer under the sun -- what the hell can you do? Well, in a perfect world, you reinvent yourself, but let's be honest: how many bands/people can do that, beyond U2, Prince, and maybe Madonna? (Sting does not count, by the way.)
Between those two poles, Camber've hit the middle ground with their own second album. Anyway, I've Been There still has plenty of melodic sweetness, particularly in singer Barry Lott's Jeremy Enigk-esque singing style, but instead of throwing out another album's worth of rock-out tortured love songs, guitars cranked all the way, they opt to be more minimal and quiet (ex.: album closer "Home Movies"). What's more, they throw in some really pretty different, rough-and-ragged sounds among the pretty stuff, coming closer to Jawbox at several points ("Punching Out," "Sad One") than Sunny Day Real Estate or their kin. Sharp, angular guitar lines balance out beautiful melodies and pained vocals, the odd-sounding notes pushing through and counterbalancing the sweetness. The end result? Well, I'm no expert, but I wouldn't call this "emo," or any derivative of it. What it is is a darned decent rock album, with some really good, passionate songs floating around on it. The moral of the story? Even a little bit of reinvention can go a long way.
Between those two poles, Camber've hit the middle ground with their own second album. Anyway, I've Been There still has plenty of melodic sweetness, particularly in singer Barry Lott's Jeremy Enigk-esque singing style, but instead of throwing out another album's worth of rock-out tortured love songs, guitars cranked all the way, they opt to be more minimal and quiet (ex.: album closer "Home Movies"). What's more, they throw in some really pretty different, rough-and-ragged sounds among the pretty stuff, coming closer to Jawbox at several points ("Punching Out," "Sad One") than Sunny Day Real Estate or their kin. Sharp, angular guitar lines balance out beautiful melodies and pained vocals, the odd-sounding notes pushing through and counterbalancing the sweetness. The end result? Well, I'm no expert, but I wouldn't call this "emo," or any derivative of it. What it is is a darned decent rock album, with some really good, passionate songs floating around on it. The moral of the story? Even a little bit of reinvention can go a long way.
JH
spacecityrock.com
I have to hand it to Deep Elm...they don't put out any junk. Camber is another example of pristine production, strong songwriting, and impressive packaging. Beyond that, Camber is a solid band that walks the line between dissonance and a strong hook. If you liked their previous album, you're going to love this one even more. They tackle some more intricate song structures while maintaining a very focused approach to songwriting. The key element here is the amazing vocal abilities of frontman Barry Lott. Do not be fooled - that boy can sing. There's a certain passion in his vocals that brings the almighty Enigk to mind, but I'll try not to draw that comparison.
Plus: really cool cover layout
Minus: is life really this depressing?
Plus: really cool cover layout
Minus: is life really this depressing?
angelfire.com
With a barrage of fiery choruses and thunderous hooks, Camber unleashes an intelligent sonic opera on ANYWAY, I'VE BEEN THERE. Known for their keen ability to write effective and not-so-simple rock songs, this record is fueled by intense post-punk melodies, emotionally-charged vocals and masterful, tension-building guitars. Both melancholic and uplifting, tugging at your heart-strings with a sensitive prowess that's often illuminating but seldom predictable. It's rock and roll with feeling something we don't see much anymore.
interpunk.com
My mother used to say, "Patrick, you keep away from them there reckerds of the emotional variety. You know what I mean when I say -- don't you look at me that way! You know damn well that them emo reckerds always make you bawl like a baby." How true momma was. This record is brought to us by the Deep Elm people who put out those compilations known as The Emo Diaries . For crying out loud (no pun intended), don't put "Emo" in the title! Well, I liked those damn records and I like Camber, too. Anyway, I've Been There is full of bittersweet songs suitable for your first heartbreak. If you like your pretty parts with some noisy interludes, this is your stuff. These kids seem to like listening to those Sunny Day Real Estate records, but they don't let it ruin their song-writing. Anyway, I've Been There has some rockers, too. If you take the sum of all these, the product is a good record to make-out to.
Patrick Rafter
Ink19
Camber's sophomore release on Deep Elm, Anyway, I've Been There, is a wonderful mix of emotional lyrics, creative songwriting, and Barry Lott's sharp, unique vocals. With ten miraculously sculpted tunes (none seem to tread on the heels of any of the others and yet the cohesiveness is remarkable), the band produces what some might hear as a soundtrack to life in New York City, the band's home base. The music is somewhat calm but can easily become classy, as with the trumpet on "Wait," yet on the next tune, "38th & 8th," Camber showcases a raucous guitar solo at the end of the song. The entire album is wrapped up with the dreary "Home Movies" and its tale of life's memories as home movies in one's head and the "endless hell" that only extreme depression can produce. It ends the album on a truly bleak note, and it's surely a darker side than anything else the band has revealed heretofore, yet it's not awkward. Sometimes the slow, depressing song is put last for a reason, to emphasize a point, and no doubt Camber has placed it as the closer as if to say, "If nothing else, listen to this part of our artistic expression." While not something most bands would heartily embrace, it's nevertheless a song that Camber pulls off with a passion and the bleak tone fits the band well, although surely the more upbeat tunes are less abrasive on the heart and soul. The crisp production was done by the legendary John Agnello; thus, nothing is lacking in that area. A truly solid, dynamic effort, Anyway, I've Been There is an album full of smart pop roots and somber undertones filled with intelligent songwriting from start to finish. A worthy follow-up to a strong debut.
password: thelastwordisrejoice
Camber – Beautiful Charade (1997)
On their critically-acclaimed debut Beautiful Charade, Camber translates the desperation of an empty, lost soul into surprising thought and beauty in music. It's a delicate display on the art of dynamics that will leave you speechless. Driving, distorted guitars, tortured vocals and painfully-resigned introspection to the edge, with an incredible wrist-slitting vocal style. Raging when asked, consoling when necessary, Beautiful Charade is like a good friend in the time of need. Unreleased song "Sunday Brown & Green" on Emo Diaries 1. The first CD ever released by Deep Elm. (DER-359)
Deep Elm Records
"In a world that keeps getting more and more crowded, Camber finds room to breathe on "Beautiful Charade." With their high-rise vocal harmonies, satisfying guitar textures, and down-low rhythms, the NYC foursome carves out a place with space. On "First," vocalist Barry Lott sings of bittersweet understanding, while the band runs a patient race with tension and gritty guitar lightness. Always careful to betray your expectations, they surf a smooth wave of hope and frustration, then tie it in a knot with tricky rhythms and disorienting downturns."
"In a world that keeps getting more and more crowded, Camber finds room to breathe on "Beautiful Charade." With their high-rise vocal harmonies, satisfying guitar textures, and down-low rhythms, the NYC foursome carves out a place with space. On "First," vocalist Barry Lott sings of bittersweet understanding, while the band runs a patient race with tension and gritty guitar lightness. Always careful to betray your expectations, they surf a smooth wave of hope and frustration, then tie it in a knot with tricky rhythms and disorienting downturns."
Alternative Press
"Somewhere between Sunny Day Real Estate and The Promise Ring, however many inches that might be, sits Camber, boldly taking a seat and claiming their place in the emo-core all-American line-up. Carving out an identity amongst such close company would seem almost impossible, but Camber has met the challenge and recorded a beautifully original record."
"Somewhere between Sunny Day Real Estate and The Promise Ring, however many inches that might be, sits Camber, boldly taking a seat and claiming their place in the emo-core all-American line-up. Carving out an identity amongst such close company would seem almost impossible, but Camber has met the challenge and recorded a beautifully original record."
PillowFight
"Beautiful Charade finds Camber driving distorted guitars, dirgy tempos, tortured vocals and painfully-resigned introspection to the edge. Although the band gazes down over the ledge, it never quite jumps. Perhaps the line 'I'm burning, so clean' best describes Camber's particular brand of angst. What sets this band apart is the incredible vocal style. It is wrist-slitting. Even those who are lukewarm about emo-core need to check out Beautiful Charade. Camber are one of the best bands ever to work in the genre..."
"Beautiful Charade finds Camber driving distorted guitars, dirgy tempos, tortured vocals and painfully-resigned introspection to the edge. Although the band gazes down over the ledge, it never quite jumps. Perhaps the line 'I'm burning, so clean' best describes Camber's particular brand of angst. What sets this band apart is the incredible vocal style. It is wrist-slitting. Even those who are lukewarm about emo-core need to check out Beautiful Charade. Camber are one of the best bands ever to work in the genre..."
Seattle Rocket
"Both melancholic and uplifting, one minute tugging at your heart-strings and the next pushing your heart out of your chest with sheer feel-good exuberance. Vocals that touch you deep inside and harmonies that make you good to feel alive."
Fracture
"Camber does such a fine job crafting emo-core where planning and painstaking effort are the key. The songs are gorgeous and there's not a hair out of place."
"Camber does such a fine job crafting emo-core where planning and painstaking effort are the key. The songs are gorgeous and there's not a hair out of place."
Aiding And Abetting
"Camber wears its repressed rage like a badge of honor...gritty and sweetly despairing."
Alter World
"The power on Beautiful Charade comes from Camber's ability to write effective and not so simple rock songs. Engaging songwriting and performance."
"The power on Beautiful Charade comes from Camber's ability to write effective and not so simple rock songs. Engaging songwriting and performance."
Magnet
"Camber has mastered the delicate art of dynamics that is so central to emo-ness. The first track 'Hollowed-Out' has one of those euphoria-inducing choruses."
"Camber has mastered the delicate art of dynamics that is so central to emo-ness. The first track 'Hollowed-Out' has one of those euphoria-inducing choruses."
SnackCake
"Beautiful Charade is downright genius. Rock and roll with feeling, which is something we don't see much anymore."
Pitchfork
"Camber roll blissfully around with depth of feeling, the music is wonderfully crafted. Put your feet up and let them ease your woes. No one can deny the quartet's thoughtful, sensitive prowess."
Kerrang!
"The melodies are lifting in the verses and build tension toward intense choruses. At other times the textures are more subtle with an air of dreamy despair. Always cleverly crafted, never boring, and never a shortage of melodic hooks."
"The melodies are lifting in the verses and build tension toward intense choruses. At other times the textures are more subtle with an air of dreamy despair. Always cleverly crafted, never boring, and never a shortage of melodic hooks."
Skratch
"Often illuminating and seldom predictable, Camber's resonating, emo-core blends post-grunge aggression with blustery melodicism. Expansive arrangements are turned upside down and inside out without losing the flow of the song at hand. Vocalist Barry Lott teeters at the edge of a nervous breakdown, sometimes emoting with the same urgency and determination Bono once did during his early U2 days. Lott's dramatic wails linger alongside dissonant guitars, raucous drums, and vibrating sonic textures."
Aquarian Weekly
Are you a New Yorker? Or the type that disparages this fine city, when I know you are secretly jealous of us lucky, lucky, lucky people? (Hey ex-Mayor Koch! How'm I doin'?) If you loved music in the mid-'70s, New Yawk was the place to be. At Max's Kansas City or CBGB, little bands turned into legends: New York Dolls to Heartbreakers, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Ramones, Television, Blondie, Cramps, yadda yadda f***ing yadda. Maybe this ole town hasn't produced such a golden crop since, but creative sounds have always emanated, and recent years have been the best in a decade. Inspired rockers Lotion, East River Pipe, Madder Rose, Versus, Ivy, and Guv'ner are now national items, but there's another post-punk bumper crop below them awaiting their due. Among them are French, Saturnine, Ditch Croaker, and this group, Camber. With a wired, heavy, smacking sound, Camber has made strides from early gigs and the foursome's Hollowed Out 7". Gotta love their fiery fury and controlled desperation. The guitars of Corby Caldwell and Barry Lott warp with chiming discomfort, as the bass and drums pound like doomsday. Yet, like French (only heavier), Lott's melodic, thick singing belies the ton of bricks bursting behind. The result is a post-grunge wall of sound, and soft to heavy tension pounding not for the timid! Perfect for a wound-up town.
"Emo" has become a filthy word. You
might as well go round talking about "God". But this is an emo record if
you want to take that term as having a validity to it. Whatever this
mass-culture emo-term has become is nothing to do with any of this, just
to be clear. All that shit started when the guy in AFI wore some makeup
and they released Black Sails.
Anyway, this is a proper 90s emo record where you have the jangling guitars with skethcy riffs and some guy whining on about how he feels. It's up there with the best records from that era - it has real nice songs to it and some soaring pieces and clever riffs. It sounds heartfelt and not some mass-produced shit. Basically they nailed it before all those shitty bands came out to denigrate the good name of emo.
Anyway, this is a proper 90s emo record where you have the jangling guitars with skethcy riffs and some guy whining on about how he feels. It's up there with the best records from that era - it has real nice songs to it and some soaring pieces and clever riffs. It sounds heartfelt and not some mass-produced shit. Basically they nailed it before all those shitty bands came out to denigrate the good name of emo.
hardrainsgonnafall.com
password: thelastwordisrejoice
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Get Up Kids - Singles & EP (1997-1999)
1997 - Woodson EP
1. Woodson
2. Second Place
3. Off The Wagon
4. A Newfound Interest In Massachusetts
1. One Year Later
2. Red Letter Day
3. Forgive And Forget
4. Anne Arbour
5. Mass Pike
1. Action & Action
2. Close To Me
3. I'm A Loner Dottie, A Rebel (Demo Version)
2. Second Place
3. Off The Wagon
4. A Newfound Interest In Massachusetts
1999 - Red Letter Day EP
2. Red Letter Day
3. Forgive And Forget
4. Anne Arbour
5. Mass Pike
1999 - Action & Action
2. Close To Me
3. I'm A Loner Dottie, A Rebel (Demo Version)
Friday, August 10, 2012
Jimmy Eat World - Singles & EP (1998-2001)
1998 - Jimmy Eat World – Jimmy Eat World EP
1. Lucky Denver Mint
2. For Me This Is Heaven
3. Your New Aesthetic (Demo)
4. Softer
5. Roller Queen
Singles
1-1 Jimmy Eat World – Opener
1-2 Jimmy Eat World – 77 Satellites
1-3 Jimmy Eat World – What I Would Say To You Now
1-4 Jimmy Eat World – Speed Read
1-5 Jimmy Eat World – Spangle
1-6 Jimmy Eat World – H Model
1-7 Jimmy Eat World – Ramina
1-8 Jimmy Eat World – Christmas Card
1-9 Jimmy Eat World – Untitled
1-10 Jimmy Eat World – Carbon Scoring
1-11 Jimmy Eat World – Digits
Jimmy Eat World & Jebediah
2-1 Jimmy Eat World – The Most Beautiful Things
2-2 Jimmy Eat World – No Sensitivity
2-3 Jimmy Eat World – Cautioners
2-4 Jebediah – Animal
2-5 Jebediah – The Less Trusted Pain Remover
2-6 Jebediah – Harpoon
2. For Me This Is Heaven
3. Your New Aesthetic (Demo)
4. Softer
5. Roller Queen
2001 - Jimmy Eat World – Singles + Jimmy Eat World / Jebediah Split
1-1 Jimmy Eat World – Opener
1-2 Jimmy Eat World – 77 Satellites
1-3 Jimmy Eat World – What I Would Say To You Now
1-4 Jimmy Eat World – Speed Read
1-5 Jimmy Eat World – Spangle
1-6 Jimmy Eat World – H Model
1-7 Jimmy Eat World – Ramina
1-8 Jimmy Eat World – Christmas Card
1-9 Jimmy Eat World – Untitled
1-10 Jimmy Eat World – Carbon Scoring
1-11 Jimmy Eat World – Digits
Jimmy Eat World & Jebediah
2-1 Jimmy Eat World – The Most Beautiful Things
2-2 Jimmy Eat World – No Sensitivity
2-3 Jimmy Eat World – Cautioners
2-4 Jebediah – Animal
2-5 Jebediah – The Less Trusted Pain Remover
2-6 Jebediah – Harpoon
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